Poor Unfortunate Soul
by ManicMelancholyMonkey
Summary: *Currently in the process of being rewritten... maybe*
1. Chapter 1

My first PatF fanfic! Well not really, it's more of a drabble/wishful-thinking type of thing, but hey!

Now, I know this may be a bit confusing for those of you that like to know what exactly is going on. And I just want to say, I apologize if it doesn't really make sense, it was sort of just an attack of random ideas. I know it isn't the best thing in the world either, so feel free to give me pointers and constructive ideas if I try fanfiction again, in general.

Okay that's my bit, and no, unfortunately I do not own the rights to The Princess and the Frog. That goes to Disney!!

* * *

"We both know all this sweetness you've been shovin' down my throat is out of your selfish desire to kill me," He smolder the words, while continuing to eat the last hunk of his third beignet, even as he spoke "just so you can leave my humble abode."

Dr. Facilier licked his fingers clean of the sticky honey and powdered sugar before reaching to take another from the silver tray, laden with a necessity of sweets and confectionaries. Tiana watched his piano-man fingers grip the end of an atypically shaped cookie "leave?" Her eyebrows creased together while a new thread of anger weaved its way into her chest.  
'Leave'? How on Earth could he, the voodoo-wielding Shadowman of lore, the one man her daddy had worn a souring mask to, and the man who had taken her weaknesses into his own manipulation, possibly be so contrived as to believe she wanted to simply 'leave'?

She waited dourly for his answer. He took his sweet time biting into the homemade cinnamon cookie; some crumbs were lost in his starkly-angled mustache. The corners of his lips tugged upward into a secretive smile. Facilier's alienated shadow, however, leered from the wall nearest to the opposite wall of Tiana, close to the entrance into the parlor-area of the Emporium. She felt almost childish enough to make a face at it.

"You know what you're problem is, Tiana darlin'?" Smooth-talking, side-stepping heathen "you really are a stick-in-the-mud." He let the phrase pour out of his mouth like Bouillabaisse; Tiana's nostrils flared, but her eyes remained steady.  
He went on; another two sweets branded between his thumb and index finger, "you can't even invent a good comeback. Not even a coy little smile out of you. Everything must be black and white under those lacking eyes." The Witch Doctor twisted in his chair (his throne) to face her; the glowing violet irises of his eyes half-hidden by curtain of his eyelids. "I'm surprised myself that I even let you stay here. It'd be just as well if I left you for my hungry Friends to devour your soul when they had the chance."

Tiana rose from her spot, a substantial bed made up of a hollow rectangular frame, a dull mattress, and few thinly-made sheets that fell to the floor in a heap, with her hands clenched into fists. The middle finger on her left cracked as her chest rose and fell heavily. The white hot anger pulsing in her body reached her eyes, enough to turn her vision into charred little fragments.

"How dare you! How dare you even say-that-those things! You have the nerve to tell me I'm a stick-in-the-mud? Have you heard stories mothers' around here tell their children at night?! The Shadowman reaps churchyards to make the skeletons dance, and steals the souls of naughty children at night if they're careless? You may be the most hypocritical being I have ever had the misfortune –"

Tiana stopped short. An eerie sensation had wrapped itself around her calf, and was now sliding slow, slow, slowly down toward her ankle.  
She looked down with wide eyes and screamed before, without any further options, plunging back into the bed. Upon her fall, Tiana's legs thumped back against the flimsy frame, and sent Facilier's shadow away like a wayward snake.  
The detached shadow cringed as it departed; and Facilier himself, who'd been glaring through Tiana's entire outburst, now, held the ultimate expression of a hellish beast.

"Merde'! You idiot!" He roared; the doctor's fingers now squeezed against the scepter in his hand, to the point where it was now indented where his palm was. "How many times do we go through this? Huh?" He raised the ball end of the cane at the silhouette, "you can't do every little thing you want! That kinda thing is what's gonna get us a one way ticket to the END!" Both man and his shadow grimaced momentarily at the mere idea of their possible fate.

* * *

Thank you! Please don't flame!


	2. Chapter 2

_Facilier's fulsome eyes tore themselves away from his shadow to Tiana. The young waitress was being completely melodramatic, especially for her. He had to raise an eyebrow as she fought the thinly-woven sheets ensnaring her upper body. _

_Instead of ending such pointlessness, the witch doctor lowered his cane and stood up straighter. He waited silently. His features remained smooth and collected, yet the faint hint of annoyance tightened his brow and lips. His shadow mimicked his movements—for once—though a strange apprehensive quality remained in the silhoutte. _

_He was not supposed to touch his owner's new little toy whatsoever. Urges and the like, even ones he could feel from Facilier, had to be ignored at all costs. _

_Tiana shoved the sheets away finally; her breath just a tad bit uneven as she pulled herself up. For woman barely near twenty, she was surprisingly strong-willed; but perhaps tonight was not the night for sheer dignity. _

"_What. On. Earth… Why?! Why did your—your—j-just molest me?!" Her finger pointed at the guilty shadow, its very shape screaming a silent rebuttal; Facilier waved a hand in its direction. Settle down; settle down, before you screw us over again. _

"_Don't overreact, girl" Shadowman growled "you're alive." _

_Tiana's brow lowered even further. "Answer my question." _

_The gangly man had taken to walking away from her, perhaps to just make her seethe, and was now up the three wide steps into his own private study. He turned around before he was even the table, a smile once again plastered to his shaded face. _

_He chuckled, "which one?" the doctor raised his arm and plucked the tall skull-and-cross-bones top hat from his head. His hurricane of black hair rose and fell from the top of his head and highlighted the worn circles underneath his eyes. _

"_You think I'm poisoning you?" _

_The witch doctor threw the hat over his shoulder and began trekking into the deeper recesses of his Emporium. Tiana, who had moved to the middle of the main room, leaned to her left to see where he was going. What other things could there be in this God-forsaken Underworld? _

"_I don't think, __**chere**__. I know it." He was gone, lost, nowhere to be seen. Yet, his voice remained like the after-shock of an earthquake. _

"_I may have to punish you for it later." _

_The silver tray of unbidden sweets arose from its place on the fold-out table he'd just been sitting at. Tiana's mouth formed a small 'o' as she watched Facilier's shadow lift the plate effortlessly, and slithered after his master. _

_Not a thing was spilt. _

* * *

By the morning, Tiana could breathe a sigh of relief.

The young woman looked around the parlor, the only room she was actually allowed in. Everywhere she looked, at every turn and in every corner, there laid—for the lack of a better word— junk. What else was she supposed to call it? She had no idea what most of the Shadowman's junk was for, or what any of it did. Why they were even there was a mystery.

And how the heck was she supposed to organize all of it?

Another sigh transformed into a yawn as she began to move, albeit very slowly, through the parlor. The room was exceedingly dim and moody even though her biological clock told her it was mid-morning outside.

_Will I ever be able to see the daylight again? _Tiana walked over dazedly to her bed and reached behind it to grab a wicket broom; immediately she swabbed a cobweb above the feeble bed. Looking around again, she almost felt the urge to climb into the bed and pull the covers over her head without ever bothering to get up again.

"Oh Miss Tiana" the waitress spoke to herself as she began to sweep the dust-ridden floor "how did you ever get into this mess?"

* * *

The Shadowman had told her, as slyly as ever, to get crackin' on tidying his Emporium up. Of course she argued with him on it. Her mama had always hated the feeling of being 'just a simple housewife who cleans and cooks' to men who knew very little on how to treat ladies.

Yet, Facilier had assured her, in syrupy sarcasm no less that the equality of men and women had little to do with his request (demand). He would be having 'guests' over soon, and the dead weight— Tiana—had made his home less than immaculate. The argument could have gone on for plenty of time. Tiana could've thought of hundreds of rejoinders on the matter. She kept her thoughts on it to herself, when the idea of his leaving, for maybe several hours, came across her mind like the lifting of a ribbon from her eyes. She agreed, and he'd gone. An agreeable smile painted itself on his elongated face before he stepped out.

The Voodoo Haven was a fairly easy thing to clean. All that she could really do, without creating an impressive change, was sweep the hardwood floor and put the scattered litter she came across in their proper places… or wherever she found a space for them. In fact, along the way a few things had caught her interest, to be fair.

At the end of it, she wasn't the least bit tuckered out. Instead she allowed herself to sit down and survey the entire room. Sitting with her head resting on her hands, she looked toward the nearest shelf and examined it. Forgotten Mardi Gras beads (all purple, hmm… what was the doctor's favorite color?) dangled this way and that among moderately thick books. They were all written in foreign languages or cryptic instructions that left little to be desired.

Among the shelves, her eyes came to rest upon two of the funny looking dolls that lay about the Shadowman's shop. For a moment, she mentally recalled finding those dolls pop out of nowhere when she was cleaning. They were smiling every time she found them.

If she were to believe her eyes at that point, she would've sworn to have seen their smiles widen ever so slightly.

She was at the shelf and grabbing the two suspicious dolls before she could even think. Holding them up to her face for clearer inspection, she was unable to detect anything strange other than their atypical appearances.

She raised an eyebrow "freaky little things…" she pulled them away and back, around and upside-down once more. Nothing.

She set them back on the shelf and turned away, hoping to find something else to do with the passing time. It must be early afternoon by now. What exactly was Facilier doing?

_Silly human, what else would he be doing than making dreams come true? _A raspy voice, like that of a sick little boy's, murmured into her ear.

Tiana breathed in sharply, but did not say a word. The hairs on the back of her neck were the only evidence of the sudden chill that ran up her spin. She pivoted _slowly_, every expectation of some demon from Hell to be behind her back ran through her head.

There was nothing there. No ferocious devil with snapping jaws and glowing yellow eyes overshadowed her, not even a pitch-fork brandishing imp with beady eyes leering at her to be seen. Everything was as it was moments before; the shelf was still intact and full of the strange books and spellbound trinkets, the Mardi Gras beads, and the two estranged dolls were still and in place.

The waitress stood transfixed in beside the shelf, her eyes never straying from the spot where she was sure, so sure, she had heard that gruff little voice speak. Not until Facilier stepped back into the Parlor with a few coins jingling in his pockets and an oily smile did Tiana move from her post.

Both dolls agreed silently. The little waitress would be a fun new doll.


	3. Chapter 3

I hope those of you who like this story will understand that I am still learning to write... well. I understand that my sentences can seem repetative, sometimes the grammar is terrible, and things can go amiss, large or small, so that whatever is happening does not seem quite right when you read it. I apologize for all of these things, but please, try and bear with me, kay?

Alright, well, I've been trying to update at a healthy pace, so expect new chapters to come at intervals of 3-6 days. :D

Once more, Disney owns The Princess and the Frog!

* * *

"What am I supposed to do in this— cage, besides sit around all day?" Tiana glared at her feet, the angry expression permanently engraved upon her young face. She had been cooped up in Facilier's Emporium for at little less than two weeks, keeping to herself since the event of the disembodied voice and the pop-out dolls.

Nothing had happened afterword, though eerie sensations would invade the parlor now and again, though usually that was all the Shadowman's doing.

Said Shadowman looked up from shuffling his deck of Tarot cards. He gazed at her briefly before returning to the deck. "Now how could I trust you with that?"

The young woman watched him and the forming lines in her forehead deepened; she folded her arms across her chest and glanced at the ceiling. "Trust me? Since when do I need your trust?"

He snorted and laid the cards out in an arch; he waved his hand over the entire deck and each card turned over to reveal itself. He repeated his same actions twice, all the while studying each card exclusively for any single sign.

"You're a young woman, a hard-working southern girl from the best city in Louisiana, surely men from all around try sweeping you off your feet" he joked, the lies in his statement clearer than a Sunday church sermon "if I let you go out alone, hey! There may even be another witch doctor out there just waitin' for you to come along!"

He laughed; he laughed and laughed, every note of his laughter vigorous and unadulterated… if it wasn't so creepy, it might've been inspiring.

Tiana did her best to overlook the insane chortling. She tapped her fingers against her bare arm, chewing over various reasons why she should be let outside. She finally decided on a basis just as his cackling slowed to a quiet guffawing.

The lady breathed out slowly and silently, "well aside from your… concerns, maybe you should think of letting me out, for yourself."

From the corner of her eyes, she watched him stack up his personal deck and swiftly he shifted the entire number of cards into an eddy that covered nearly the entire table. She moved a little closer to the edge of the bed.

"I've run out of dough and sugar. Without em, I can't make anymore of my beignets." Her eyes flickered to the opposite wall; the shadow of Facilier had been gliding back and forth for most of the day. Whenever she seemed to 'catch its gaze', its smile would grow wider, and she would shrink just a little bit.

It had stopped to give her another smarmy 'look'. Tiana frowned, crossing her legs as an extra precaution, and looked away pointedly.

"And… if I could go outside, I could get my" she swallowed then, a certain pang plucking nimbly at her heartstrings "my… I could…"

The Shadowman was now gazing at her from the head of his table. His lips curled back just lightly enough to show the satisfaction he felt. He'd been waiting for the proud young woman to show her vulnerability. In fact, he was a tad surprised she was showing so soon.

"I could get the money I'd been savin' up for my… my-my restaurant," Tiana closed her eyes, oblivious to the fact that her hands gripped the sides of the bed for support "and I could buy as much food as you could want."

She opened her eyes to see that damn slimy smile on his face; but it was somehow less infuriating then it had ever been.

There was silence as Tiana shooed away the shame and grief that had wound its way into her heart.

* * *

"Hey Virgil, ain't that Tiana comin' down the lane?" Edwin pointed behind his comrade with wide-eyes. Virgil followed his friend's hand, and turned—it was indeed Tiana; in fact it was hard not to recognize the girl from those around her.

The young woman was still clad in her masquerade costume, and it itself was torn at the ends and splattered with flour and punch that had spread like paint across the gown. She no longer wore her coronet, but even without it, her hair stuck out like straw, split ends and knots thinly hidden by the small ponytail reaching down her backside.

Virgil scratched the crown of his balding head in a mixture of confusion and dismay, "now what happened to her do you think, Ed?"

The other man shook his head, exhaling noisily as he took another look at her, "poor little lady. I heard Big Daddy LaBouff sayin' that before James up and joined the recruits, he was dreamin' of owning a restaurant. Y' know, he wanted to buy that old, abandoned sugar mill and fix it up? LaBouff said he tried payin' for the mill so James could have it, but you know how stubborn that old fool was, may he rest in peace.

Now, I reckon his daughter's tryin' to do the same thing, maybe to keep his memory alive. But there ain't no sense in a young-in', who should be havin' fun, to havin' to work so hard."

Edwin sighed and shook his head once more. Virgil glanced back at Tiana as he finished; the girl caught his gaze, and a weary smile formed on her lips as she waved. He took in the worn face and darkening circles underneath her eyes, and the usual glow of her skin now dim slathered over with dirt and sticky punch. Her eyes did not show their usual warmth and good-humor, nor did her smile carry its typical pride and well-to-do, feelin' good, almost there charm. She didn't look like a young woman ready to start living; she looked like a cracked glass doll that refused to break.

"Good morning Miss Tiana!" Edwin's voice broke his thoughts, and he looked to find the waitress had just stopped in front of him "and how are we today?"

"Oh, just fine Mr. Crawford!"

"Oh please, call me Edwin, sug'." Edwin smiled loftily, and after a moment, he was appeased enough to go back inside his shop when she nodded, with the promise that she would visit his bookstore as well.

Virgil remembered to smile, and made a small bow in the young lady's direction "good day chere. Have you come to buy something for your mama?"

He could, for an instant, see her face fall for a moment. A smile interlaced across her face in a flash. "Oh… oh yeah, my mama and I; see… we were gonna have a few relatives over for a party and" she turned sideways and bent down, allowing him to see a rackety little red wagon that she'd been dragging along, and picked up three of the dozens of tin cans in the cart "I was supposed to come and pick up a few things… you know, for the party."

He gawked as she faced him again, a stray curl falling across her eyes as she laughed. "Oh don't you worry none, I counted up everythin' I've got, and I believe about three of these could cover enough food for months, and then some!"

She hoisted one tin can higher in the hopes of keeping it secure, but the other two slipped and began falling before she could react. Virgil immediately reached out and caught them— before he too was trying not to let them fall.

"My Lord, Miss Tiana! how much do you got in these?!" He began to carry both cans to the door of his produce market, and Tiana followed absently. Her wagon close behind.

"Oh, about three-hundred and fifty dollars or so, total… but each can has maybe has around fifteen to twenty dollars. One ought to cover maybe a month worth's of food…" She began calculating in her head just as Virgil set both cans on his counter.

He breathed in deeply and tried to maintain the rapid beat of his heart. A moment passed before he asked "how'd you save up all this money?! Must have taken you years."

Tiana laughed as she turned away again to pick up the rest of the tin cans. "Well of course it did! This is all the money I've been savin' up to get my restaurant!"

Virgil scratched his head; a terrible thing that he shouldn't be doing, according to the doctor he'd been seeing once a week for his hair "well then why are you spending your savings on a party?"

Tiana continued to haul her third tin to the counter, eyes locked on the red wagon "what was that?"

"Why are you spending the money you're saving for your restaurant, on groceries?"

Tiana's forehead creased as she looked up "oh… well, I-um. I already bought the restaurant, and now all this money can— go to the party we're havin', for my success."

Virgil eyed the girl from behind the counter. He looked over the disheveled appearance of the once proud and lively Tiana, and a strange sensation of fear ran up into his chest from the pit of his stomach. Where had this girl come from?

"Tiana" he started "is there something—"

"Tia!!!"

Both Tiana and Virgil's heads whipped back, enough to give poor Virgil temporary whip-lash, and spotted Miss Charlotte LaBouff hopping her way through the door to Tiana. Her eyes ablaze with delight and the energy of an overly-excited five-year old, the southern debutante enveloped poor, dazed Tiana in a spine-shattering hug.

* * *

Okay, I have three things to say!

1. I have no clue what the worth of currency in the 1920's was, and I apologize if Tiana's savings would not make sense to buy an entire sugar mill. Please pardon my lack of historical knowledge.

2. I originally intended this to be a one-shot depicting a simple idea, but silly me, I allowed it to be 'in-progress'. So I warn you, the plotline may not be what you expect!

3. Thank you to those who reviewed! It is GREATLY appreciated!!!

(And also, I may up the rating... we'll see how this goes)

Thank you all! Please don't flame!!


	4. Chapter 4

Hey! Sorry for this little note, but I have something important to say!

I am quite ashamed of myself, but I can't, for the life of me, figure out what to do with this story! It's not that I'm not into it, I really am! But, the story has become a little bit of a mess. I know what's going to happen, I have a plotline written down. Yet I find just harder to overcome certain obstacles that have to be passed in order for this story to work!

I may not finish this, I warn you.

That was my Author's note (which I didn't want to take up huge space), and I hope you don't hate me!

The Princess and the Frog is owned by Disney!

* * *

_"Oh Tiana honey, what in the world happened?! I was so worried when you just— ran off like that!" Charlotte skipped around, hat in hand, and waved to the many passers-by, who waved back in either amusement— or just plain confusion. The girl was as frenzied as a poodle (and as loud as one too, if Tiana were to have any say in the matter). _

_"Well… I've been…" She looked around, no one else she they knew was around. It was a perfect time to spill everything, and try getting out of this forsaken mess. "Well Lottie, when I left the party I—" _

_"Oh Tia! Did you hear?! You didn't, you would've come over and talked with me! Oh Lord, I have so much to do, and so much to say, and oh, oh, oh! I could never possibly be happier than I am now!" Charlotte cried as she leapt in front of Tiana, her body was shaking so much it passed onto Tiana when she grabbed her hands. _

_"What? What are you talkin' about Lottie?" Tiana took her hands out of Charlotte's to put them on the shaking girl's shoulders and steady her "what's happenin'? Calm down!" _

_Charlotte covered her mouth to stop the endless flow of words, but she couldn't help herself anymore. "I'm gettin' hitched!!!" _

_Tiana blinked "what?" _

_"I'm gettin' hitched Tiana, I'm gettin' married!!" Charlotte squealed, she turned away from poor Tiana again and began to jitter and jive up the entire street. Her snazzy afternoon dress hiked up each time she bounced, literally, off a wall. "Prince Naveen, you remember Prince Naveen? From the party? Anyway, Prince Naveen and I were havin such a ball…a-at the ball you know. And he was so sweet, Tia, when you left. I really couldn't stand dancin' anymore when you ran away, I was so worried, and Big Daddy sent a whole bunch 'a folks to go lookin' for you when I told him what happened." _

_Tiana halted in her steps "really?" _

_"Oh yeah, yeah! For days! Your mama was on the fritz when we told her what happened too!! Poor dear. _

_But anyhow, Naveen, he was so, so kind Tia. He stayed by my side the entire night, tryin' to console me. He wouldn't dance the entire night with anybody else, and let. And the rest of the two weeks just flew by! He proposed yesterday, and now, we gonna have a Mardi Gras Wedding!" _

_She squealed the last bit, making Tiana's ears ring and the passers-by stare at her like she was a lunatic escaped from the mental hospital. _

_Tiana was silent as she followed her friend on their way back to the LaBouff estate. She contemplated what was going on blindly, while the slums began to turnaround into immaculate mansions. They reached the front gate to the LaBouff Estate before Charlotte turned around, her frilly daydreams of romance and royalty forgotten for the time being as she, once again, took Tiana's hands in her own. _

_"I—I know that this all seems like so much to take in Tia. I can hardly believe it myself, I mean, it seems almost yesterday we were little girls dreamin' our fairytale dreams. Now, I'm going to be a Princess… and I was wonderin'… if I could have your blessing before I get married." _

* * *

"So… you got us somethin' to eat, darlin'?" Facilier rubbed his hands together in anticipation as he watched Tiana unload the bags she'd brought in her little wagon. His mood had been dark before Tiana's imprisonment; yet it seemed her presence made his mind easier. Adequately enough to give him a sharper edge when he talked his customers into little palm readings, and other innocent business.

He liked to think of her as his 'good luck charm'.

"Enough to last us a while I bet." Tiana answered dutifully, setting the last bag down near the steps and retiring to her bed. Pulling the wagon with her, she placed it next to the bed and sat down with a sigh.

Facilier's smile lessened until it again represented a frown. The girl shouldn't be as tired as she was… unless she'd been goin' around town…

Quiet flittered in like a shy dove. Tiana pulled the loafer off of her foot and began to rub the sole. Facilier watched her much like a hawk would its prey, and then, he smiled

"Seems like I've been wearing you down Tiana," the words slid from his mouth, "maybe I should loosen up on all the requests, hmm?" He held out his hand, and his shadow immediately dropped a branch of grapes into his awaiting fingers. He swallowed them as slow as slow could be.

Tiana narrowed her eyes "no, you go ahead and make your requests. As long as I'm gettin' outside, I don't really care for cleaning the parlor or cooking for you." Her voice was stern, though her body ached with the prolonged exhaustion from the previous weeks.

He continued to eat, though a thoughtful look crossed his face. "Maybe" he spoke between mouthfuls "I should've been sendin' you out long before…"

He turned away, his trusty cane tapping along with him as he swallowed piece by piece of the previously bought fruit. Tiana watched him cautiously from the bed, the aches screaming at her ignored by the vicious irritation coming from the rap of his scepter on the floor. As if her ears weren't ringing enough from all that squealing' and gibberish from Lottie!

Before she knew it, her head tipped to the side as she studied the witch doctor's form. It occurred to her a week before that he continuously ate everything she could make, and even she had made certain mistakes, he latched onto it like a ravenous coyote.

It made sense; the Shadowman was built like a stick.

"You're going to choke if you keep stuffing all of that down your throat," she spoke before she could think, which seemed to be happening a lot lately, and his cane was silenced. Immediately she cursed herself for making it sound as if she were even mildly-concerned. Quickly she added "I might even stop poisoning you altogether, if you can kill yourself for me."

"Worried about me, mademoiselle?" He asked in amusement, Tiana's nose scrunched in annoyance

"No."

"You let on too much, sweetheart."

"I have no idea what you're talking about." The young waitress put her shoe back on and stood to put away what she'd bought "it's physically impossible for me or anyone else, I'm sure, to feel anything for you. And if I were you, I wouldn't be connin' people all day and night. Hard-work is the only way to get things in life.

Apparently you never knew that, Oh _Oneness." _For the life of her, Tiana could not help but smile self-righteously at her moral triumph. She let the anger, annoyance, and fear leak out and away for the first time in weeks, and damn it all, it felt wonderful.

He'd turned to face her again, the movements bearing a strong resemblance to the ones he'd shifted into weeks ago. But this time, he didn't just turn to acknowledge. Instead he jumped toward her, without a word. Reflexively Tiana scrambled backward, and couldn't stop the gasp that escaped her mouth when his arm slipped around her waist and he pulled her nearer.

"Don't disrespect me, little woman! You think you're so clever, but don't you forget (Pulling her closer), I've got all the power here." his hand waved around the entire room as he leaned into her. "You're lucky, I consider myself a real gentleman," He breathed the words into her ear, making every one sound like a sin from his lips. "Otherwise your… generous assistance…would be used for more than just a few chores…" The gentleman, the showman, and the agitator, were all gone, in the place of a man as seductive as a fantasy. Tiana wondered if he'd ever conned young women in this way. Women just like her.

She pulled away from him, pushing against the lapels of his jacket cautiously as she did, and spat out a noise of repulsion as she collide with the side of the bed. She didn't struggle through the sheets this time. She allowed herself to slide down the plane of the cot; and listened silently as he began to laugh. It was cold and smug.

"Well don't we have the drive of an ox?!" She could _feel _him leering; and a second later his shadow's hollow chortle joined in. Tiana slumped against the frame, and rubbed her temples lightly.

Facilier leant down to her eye-level.

"I think, that this is one of the best deals I ever made… how 'bout you?" He dipped his fingers underneath her chin and tilted it upward. The gentleness of his touch was both frightening and sickening; Tiana swallowed the bile that rose in her throat.

Before the girl could respond, he was gone… like smoke through bare fingers. The bags full of food had been completely emptied as well. She took little notice, having lost her appetite for the moment.

_

* * *

_

_I'm so sorry daddy, I can't even ask for your forgiveness now… _

_

* * *

_

The next morning, and many a morning after their first meeting, flew by, compared to other mornings that she had seen. Charlotte had made the grand decision to start talking with Tiana at Duke's diner, while Tiana had explained her recent absences as part of the deal when it came to owning a once-abandoned sugar mill. Most of these conversations were about the pressures of paper-work and repair-men; old figments of Tiana's childhood imagination.

Thankfully she had little to say, Charlotte's mouth hardly ever stayed closed for a moment with all the excitement of her planned wedding. Mardi Gras could not come soon enough! according to Miss Charlotte LaBouff. There seemed very little time to plan everything, with the celebration coming to an opening in only two months. Tiana feigned happiness, though a not-so-faint concernment often raced through her mind during their 'talks'.

Since they were little girls, Tiana had understood Charlotte to be well-meaning at heart, even for a spoiled little rich girl. She always treated Tiana like her equal, and gave her as much thought as her little mind could take— but there were times, more than one in fact, when Lottie would miss what Tiana was saying. Particularly those times when what Tiana said were essentially wise; Charlotte would completely overlook common sense in the matter of what she really wanted.

This particular time, however, was extremely pointless. Charlotte would do anything to be a princess. That was the first thing Tiana had ever known of Miss LaBouff, since her mother had been hired to tailor all of Charlotte's clothes. And it was clear and fine that Charlotte would never stop until she 'kissed the right frog'.

"Lottie… are you, are you sure, that this is what you want?" Tiana asked solemnly one morning, while stirring in some sugar into the cup of tea she had ordered upon Charlotte's pleas. It seemed Charlotte was bent on making Tiana eat something since their last few meetings, unknowing that Tiana had almost enough money to last her two years.

"Hm? Oh, of course Tia dear. I already had my breakfast ages ago!" The blonde smiled amiably for her friend.

The other young woman frowned "no Lottie, I mean the marriage. Do you really want to get married to this— Prince of— Mal—"

"Oh, Prince of Maldonia, sugar!" Charlotte corrected, her hands underneath her head happily "of course, I wanna marry him! Why, when he proposed, oh you should've seen it Tia! He was so honest and sincere and gracious and, oh he just had me blushin' like a— oh honey, ain't you gonna eat anything?" Charlotte stopped to look at Tiana crossly. She looked around instantly and picked up a menu from the other end of the table near Tiana's elbow and scanned over everything melodramatically.

Tiana hid a small smile. "I'm fine Lottie" she answered simply.

Charlotte looked up at her from the menu again, her eyes searching for just a moment before she set it down and began to talk again. The happiness was clearly undaunted by her momentary excursion

"Well as I was sayin', when Naveen proposed to me and asked me for my hand, it was just so perfect! I couldn't very well say 'no' then, especially not to a Prince! "Charlotte took hold of her own cup of tea, a rare feat for the bouncy girl, who (thankfully) had her napkin placed securely on her lap. Tiana tipped her head to the side

"Do you love him?"

Charlotte's cup when down before she even took a sip "Why would I marry the Prince if I didn't love him?!"

Tiana's brow fell in unease, "what do you love about him, that makes you sure you want to marry him, is what I meant."

"Well! I love him for so many reasons; I couldn't possibly count them all!" Charlotte gushed "I think I love his eyes, and his hair, and he, he has such the Charmer's smile! I may just be the luckiest girl in the entire world!"

Tiana stared into her cup as Charlotte continued to name the things she loved about the Prince. The few times she got word in edge-wise, she brought up other things that continued to cater to her best friend's fantasy. Sometimes she punctuated the splendor of having a Mardi Gras wedding, and sometimes she agreed with Charlotte's ideas on cake and shoes and flowers, and now and then she even laughed along with her.

Mornings with Lottie that week, almost made life seem normal.

* * *

*Gasp* I shall have to change the rating to a T, for I have made the Shadowman hint at innuendoes!!

Thank you for reading! Please comment/review if you like it!

(P.S. PinkApple, I apologize for the email I sent you. I'm sure that might've confused you even more! I was trying to explain what was happening far more than I should have, and I apologize! The last chapter DID take place, about, two weeks after the Ball for Prince Naveen.)


	5. Chapter 5

Hey all!!! Yeah... so, I know I've been a jerk, not updating like I promised, and then dumping my technical difficulties on top of that... and I would like to apologize. Because I know there are those of you who actually read this, and like this, and have giving me the almighty blessing 'update soon'. It was not fair of me, I ask for forgiveness.

Okay, that being said, I have a surprise. I am happy to say that I have actually worked out most of the obstacles, and now have the true plot in my mind! The story may develop now!!! Yay! Please thank my friend (who is a kick-ass artist, I mean seriously go check out her work on DeviantArt, PLEASE!) Flamiathedragon!! (I believe she's just Flamia here.) She helped me unravel this disastrous knot I have created, and helped me. I am grateful, and I bow to her in respect.

Read on!!! PatF belongs to DISNEY!!!

* * *

Tiana frowned as she swept the hardwood floor, trying hard not to let her dizzying mind wander too far as she moved about the parlor.

She needed to keep focus. The week she had spent with Lottie, even if it consisted of wedding discussions, had kept her both anxious— and yet had invigorated a dulled spark of light in Tiana. She had never given up hope; but there were few times she'd been on the edge, sometimes even double-thinking everything even, when she thought about her condition.

Now, she practically beat the hardwood floor with the wicker broom as she thought, not of her situation, but of how she could get out… or at least have some kind of freedom.

"If I could just have a moment" Tiana protested, as a particular dust bunny put up a fight, she rammed the bristles into the floor, jamming the wad of dust into a missed crack in the floorboards "to tell Lottie what's goin' on, maybe…" She stopped, and slumped against the end of the broom handle, her eyes rolled to the back of her head for a moment. She breathed out an irritated sigh and looked up, the rafters were now visibly seen; after she'd finally been able to remove some of the dangerous junk that had hung up there previously.

"Nothin'." She muttered "I can't go to Lottie… I can't go to anybody. Who's really gonna help me, knowing' the Shadowman's involved." The girl wiped her sweat-glossed forehead as she picked up her pace once more and swept the remaining dust into the dust pan. She trudged over to open the door and slowly opened the only entrance out of the forsaken voodoo shop.

A gust of air, hotter than Turtle soup, blew into her face instantly. She took a step out from the Emporium to immediately step back. The alleyway may have still been dark and depressingly eerie, but the ground still felt like coals against her bare feet. She instead looked out of the narrow alleyway from the doorframe. Outside of the dreary little world of the dark shop, there lay the little city of New Orleans, sun-baked and golden like a storybook place. Though the sun was glaring, and the heat kept most busy crowds far away, there were still marching jazz players and adolescent children kicking rusted sardine cans a distance from the alley. They passed by, keeping a weary distance from the passageway into Voodoo hell just as they had been for years … like care-free phantoms.

She watched them for a while, allowing her focus to dissolve for only a moment before she had to figure a way out. How had she not remembered how beautiful New Orleans looked in the center of the sun? Did she even take the chance to see what it was like? Tiana couldn't even remember the sweet sound of Jazz music as its invisible notes floated above the little city. Perhaps it had not been so beautiful before now, when she had the luxury of obliviousness…

The young woman continued to watch until she felt another blast of air send her away. She walked slowly back to the Emporium, wishing it was still yesterday and Charlotte was sitting walking beside her down by the boardwalk, talking about weddings and dreams come true.

The willful girl sat down against the back of the door and rubbed underneath her eyes as exhaustion from the heat continued to escalate. It was mid-afternoon by now, yet she still had a few more hours to think about getting some sort of independence from the Shadowman.

She laid her head on her hands, tapping solely on her cheek where her dimple would be. Charlotte had told her to come and meet her again for the rest of the next month until Mardi gras, but Tiana resisted, painfully. She had almost forgotten the conditions of her agreement with Facilier, and that man, as she'd learned in the weeks before, was like oil seeping through the cracks. He could easily find out what she was doing— in fact, he seemed to be suspicious already, even going as far as to tell her this morning that he had nothing for her to do that allowed her to venture outside.

All she could do here was to think of a way to visit Charlotte without having it seem like she was 'sneaking' around her own hometown.

But how was the only question.

_There's gotta be some way for him to 'trust' me _Tiana cringed at the word 'trust' as she remembered saying she had no need for his trust a week before.

She bit her lip as the heat in the air noticeably cooled, she could feel the sun's departure already. She had to figure out something fast, or else Facilier would've conned his last customer and would be heading back here.

"Customer…" Tiana sat up straighter, and blinked. She suddenly remembered her mother, who had been a local seamstress for New Orleans, once worked in a little shop with a few others, sewing clothes and other items to make a little amount of independent money for their family. Tiana had gone with her all the time; she even remembered swinging her legs back and forth while sitting on one of the tables, watching as people passed by outside from the large window.

There was a time, among many times, that she had memorized above all others. It was just before Mr. LaBouff had come into the store, when four well-to-do folk had waltzed into the shop. At the time, Tiana was young, three years old; she did not know what to make of these peoples' behavior, or their views on her 'background'. To her, they had just come in to have things tailored for them.

They were conceited, pompous, and uncaring souls, who had no idea the pain or stress they inflicted on anybody. The group had given Eudora hell for a while and it had been difficult for Eudora to keep working. Tiana could remember when they would come home and Eudora would be so put out, James would often try consoling her while massaging her neck, and talking her into remaining caring and dutiful just to get the whole business over with. Eudora did, reluctantly, cater to their demands and, after all kinds of trials and tribulations; they had finally gotten through the whole deal. As well as an extravagant amount of money on their part, enough to last the year maybe as well.

Tiana's brow lowered "If I… if I could just do what Mama did, try pleasing him instead of fighting him, for a while at least… maybe I could have most of my freedom back."

The young woman's heart pounded in her ears at the thought of what she might have to do… what she **did** have to do if she committed herself to this plan. Everything that came up in her head sounded either humiliating or wrong, or sickening— or all three. Dr. Facilier was not easy to please.

After a moment of contemplation she stood up and smacked her dress of all the dust (like it made a difference) that it had collected before she began to search the parlor for the pots and pans she'd bought a week ago. She found them hidden beside one the many shelves holding endless books.

Funny thing about the Shadowman, she had realized quickly upon her arrival in the Emporium; he misplaced anything that didn't involve his 'business matters.'

* * *

Okay, to be honest. I HATE this chapter. Specifically because its so uneventful, and tedious (I am not dissing Tiana!). It feels like a freakin' prologue in the middle of the story quite frankly. Please don't point that out though, it makes my self-esteem become nonexistent. I know I have to learn sometime, but I'd rather not this time, kay? XD

But I will try writing more... interesting stuff, in the future!!

(Thank you all for the support too! I am soooo grateful!!!!)

Thanks for reading! Please review (and don't hurt me)!! No flames either please.


	6. Chapter 6

A/N: Due to a numerous amount of things, including one broken arm and a little Writer's block, my updates are becoming sporadic! So please, refrain from being pissed, I'm tryin' okay?! I'm tryin'!

(c) Disney, you know the drill!

* * *

_Meanwhile, as Tiana made her decision, perhaps her __**final **__decision, Charlotte was biting her nails anxiously as the sky darkened into twilight. She smacked at the loitering mosquitoes once or twice to distract herself, until her poor little heart was lost in grief. She began to sob relentlessly into the gazebo's handrail. _

"_Oh Naveen, I don't know what I'm gonna do! Tiana's never broken a promise, ever! It—it's just not like her!" Charlotte continued to sniffle into her pink-embroidered handkerchief, and after a particularly loud sob, her Prince put an arm around her shoulder gently. _

_"Please my dearest. Don't cry I'm sure your friend is just… busy for the moment." Naveen, or rather, Lawrence disguised as 'Naveen', assured her, whilst still looking around him anxiously. _

_Charlotte twisted in his arm to look at him, and he leapt back just a little at her suddenness, she sniffed again "busy?" _

_"Oh yes" he tried again "I am very sure— Tiana, is it? Is simply overwhelmed with… the importance of her position. Any woman given such a high part to play as Bridesmaid in the grandest wedding between a splendid Prince and a rich young lady would be swooning on the spot!" He gave her his "Charmer's smile". _

_Charlotte, however, did not notice. She was still looking wistfully out toward the city beyond her wrought-iron gate, eyes sparkling like champagne-glasses from the tears. _

_"But-but, just to be sure! I think I'd best go over to Ms. Eudora's and see if she's there. Maybe Tia's there and she is just wishin' I would come over and see her!" She began to move, away from Lawrence's arm to the Packard, eyes set in determination._

_"No!" Lawrence cried, scrambling over to Charlotte. the blonde turned her head and blinked in surprise, "I mean perhaps it's—best for us to just to let her be for now. My cherished Charlotte, you must think of Tiana. Think of her as if she were sick, very, very sick!" _

_He held onto her arm, a little too tightly._

_Charlotte slowly shook her head, not comprehending what he meant. The muscles in Naveen's body tensed, just as Lawrence felt the heightening chill in his soul. Dr. Facilier was near… and her arm was slipping from his grasp. "What? Tia's never been—" _

"_My dear! Perhaps Tiana is very tired and beset with her happiness for us! It, it would be best if we just left her alone I assure you! Then, maybe, she'll come and help you with the rest of the wedding! We wouldn't want her upset." He tried to smile again, and this time Charlotte caught it. _

"_Oh, oh you're absolutely right, sugar. She's probably just aflutter with everything. She did seem like a soul caught in a tide all week, now that I'm thinkin' about it…" Charlotte said absentmindedly, Lawrence closed 'his' eyes for a moment _

_"I bet she did…" _

_Through her runny mascara, Charlotte smiled. Though the aching feeling of 'wrong' still throbbed in her heart, she could never possibly be sad for long when the Prince of her Dreams gave her that smile. _

"_Oh Lord, look now, I'm a mess!" She choked, pulling out of Lawrence's grasp. Yet this time she was heading toward the house "I've got to go fix myself up! Be right back buttercup!" _

_Lawrence waved Naveen's hand, until he saw the rich girl slammed the large door with an uncanny amount of strength. When he was sure he was clear, his shoulders sagged in final relief. _

"_You nearly slipped up, Larry." _

_Lawrence started with a gasp. He whirled around to see, not for the first time, the shady figure of Facilier glaring at him from behind his back. The valet-turned-prince gulped in as much air as he could "I… I got her to stay, didn't I?" His voice, drat it all, came out timid and squeaky. _

_The Doctor's eyes narrowed to slits "you were this close" he held out a long hand and mimicked the amount with his thumb and index finger "to letting her go! And do you know what would've happened if she had gotten away… hmmm?" _

_Lawrence felt Naveen's hands raising up in a defensive position as the Shadowman drew closer, menace increasing in every step "… we… everything would've come out in the open?" _

_Facilier fist tightened into a ball, every finger cracked. "Smart man…" he drawled, placing his free hand on Naveen's shoulder. Lawrence could feel the pain of his grip like daggers. _

"_Ah, yes" Lawrence's throat seemed to be having trouble again "if I may ask, once more… why, why do we need this… girl? Wouldn't she get in the way of our… deal, if she were to tag along? Ms. LaBouff nearly cancelled the wedding that one day and…" _

"_I took care of that!" Facilier said harshly, Lawrence winced as his hand tightened, surely that cane was branding his new skin?! _

_The Shadowman's gaze softened almost as quickly as it had intensified "our dear little Tiana won't be botherin' Big Daddy's little honey anytime soon… no. She'll be too preoccupied with what I've got in store for her." _

_Lawrence opened 'his' mouth again, but thought better of it and closed it. The Doctor looked at him for a moment, and then sighed, as if his patience was going through another trial. _

"_There are only so many things I can do, Larry, as you may as well know. And finding time to manage every little thing in life ain't one of them. But with my 'little good luck charm'" he chuckled, looking up at the darkening sky where the Evening Star was appearing, "We can have ourselves a little entertainment… until our deal is met." _

_Lawrence blinked, but soon gave a licentious smile as the gears in his head began to turn, "yes… entertainment. And… when would I be able to meet this lovely, lively entertainment— for us?" _

_Facilier's face contorted, his features lined with disgust, anger, and even a little bit of a grimace. "Now, now, now, we're not going to scar the little lady" he added, almost as if he were trying to get a foul taste out of his mouth. _

_His shadow, which had been slinking around the LaBouff mansion wall, raised a dark finger to its mouth and feigned gagging from its spot. _

* * *

Tiana awoke, the air completely knocked out of her lungs. When had she fallen asleep?!

"I was wonderin' when you'd wake up." The girl turned, and found herself face-to-face with Dr. Facilier himself. She pulled back, startled; and he laughed.

"Wha-what happened?" She rubbed her right temple and looked around the room. The shelves containing all their usual books, beads, dolls, and various jars containing vile objects in them were still intact, as were the masks, the floor, and the rafters above. She shook her head, slightly confused. Where was all the food she'd made?

"You had a little too much to drink, darlin." Facilier said smoothly, mimicking her look around the shop, he smiled as he saw Tiana's eyes widen in horror from the corner of his eye.

"I… I d-drank??" Tiana began to pull the sheets that had wrapped around her body, nearly tripping as she hopped off of the bed. The bones in her legs felt like jelly.

Tiana had never drunk any sort of alcohol in her life, ever. Looking over at the shady Doctor, her knees gave out for a split-second. _Did he… do something to me??!!_

The Shadowman faced her then, a little smile gave her a peak at his larger teeth and the gap in the middle "Oh, don't you worry you're pretty little head about that. I would never take advantage of a fine young lady like your-self." He placed a hand over his heart resolutely, face solemn for a minute. Tiana looked up at him through the stray curls covering her sweat-coated forehead.

"Don't believe me?" He asked lightly, taking the hand off of his heart and holding it out. His shadow immediately flew toward him, a little chair in its hands. Facilier took the chair and blew off the collecting dust, before walking over and chivalrously motioned Tiana to sit down. She waited for a moment, for a flat second anticipating his hand to pull the chair out from under her just as she was about to sit down.

She collapsed onto the seat with her head in her hands, was this some side-effect of being under the influence? Having your head filled with thoughts that only children below the age of twelve?

She shook her head to clear away the buzzing noise in her ears. Oh God, what had happened? She rubbed her temples in an attempt to calm herself, forgetting for the most part that the Shadowman was lingering near her.

Memories of the evening before bubbled up into place. She remembered cooking a dozen things: Praline, red beans and rice, andouille, shrimp, crab cakes, jambalaya, and of course— beignets. It had been very soothing for a while, relieving her of the stress, and the thoughts of what she may indeed have to succumb to in order to 'get help'. Yet when she had finished with everything, surely long enough to clear her head, he did not return.

She remembered sitting around waiting, for hours and hours on end often shifting between anger and fear. She remembered walking around the parlor, looking at the sadist-seeming objects hidden away in jars, and picking up one of the creepy dolls and inspecting it again, and even sneaking a peak into a room she had never seen before. Then the waiting was too much. She could _hardly _remember taking the bottle from the table, the one she'd set out for _him. _Tiana was sure she'd had something from the table to loosen her nerves of course… but alcohol?

_It sounds rational I guess, _she thought, lifting her head to run a hand through her wild hair, _having to endure him for such a long time, no wonder…_

She sat up straighter. Damn it all! She was supposed to have stayed awake and gotten him to agree on letting her outside again!

Maybe there was still time!

"What time is it?" She asked. Turning around, she saw Facilier standing against the wall, watching her the entire time. He gave her a little smile "'bout a quarter past midnight. You been asleep since two nights ago Ma Belle."

He slunk back to where she was, a bit of a swagger noticeable in his steps. "I would've woken ya up, but it seemed you were havin' such pleasant dreams, moaning sweetly and what not. Ol' Shadowman didn't have the heart to disturb you."

Tiana opened her mouth to voice her repulsion, knowing exactly what the 'Doctor' would've been thinking. Yet she stayed quiet, trying to rein in the disgust, and tried to smile, weakly.

"Well that was, really, very thoughtful of you…" Tiana took a moment to stand up; a little too quickly really, for the pain behind her eyes flared to life instantly. "But I thought you wanted me to go get that suit of yours fixed tomor—yesterday?"

He, scrunching up one eye in cruel amusement, "now, now, why are we always thinkin' about work Miss Tiana? Why not give yourself a little break, huh?"

Tiana couldn't help letting a smile steal her lips "I think I've had enough of a break to last me a while, I'm sure." She turned away from him to find what that damned outfit, thanking the lord she'd remembered him talking about that thing. She had a glimmer of hope now! Maybe she could even talk to Charlotte for a minute or two.

Abruptly she pulled back. The Shadowman had appeared in front of her, out of nowhere!

His new smile was slowly unthreading and becoming the old one, the one she couldn't help hating (or had it been there the whole time, and she was just too unwell to really see it?).

"Mmm, now hold on there chere," his arm stretched out to grab her own much smaller one, and with the other he held her hip in a courteous manner. Without hesitation, he began to sway about the parlor, leading Tiana around like a little rag doll. She blinked rapidly, unable to touch the ground with her feet as they continued to waltz— or he continued, at least. "A day's worth a' sleep is just fine, but a woman on the verge of chaos is no laughin' matter."

From the wall nearest them, Facilier's shadow swayed along, grinning almost psychotically.

The taller man lowered her, allowing her to escape until the last second; then he spun her back around, and she fell backward, right into his chest. He wound her arms around her with his own, creating a self-sustaining life-jacket, he smiled against her ear, "she might do somethin' she'll regret."

After a moment, Facilier unwound their tangled set of arms and released her. Instead of the only door out of the Emporium, they were now facing the opposite direction. The Shadowman's main room for business lay dead ahead, and as he started to push the young woman forward by the small of her back, his shadow began to glide ahead of them excitedly.

"What are we—what are you doing? Where are we going?" Tiana sputtered, looking back over her shoulder to the door. It was getting farther away as they walked around the large table and into the deeper recesses of Dr. Facilier's Emporium.

"Oh, why, it just struck me last night when you were callin' out my name, that only a real gentleman gives his worthy guests a grand tour, of his humble abode." Facilier answered with a chuckle.

They disappeared into the next room, leaving behind Tiana's hopes of getting out of that desolate Voodoo Haven.

* * *

Okay I apologize, this one is a little random... well all of them are, but this one in particular.

Oh! And if anything is out of place/doesn't make sense, please feel free to tell me!

Thank you for reading anyway!


End file.
